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VOL. XV., NO. XXIV
ESTABLISHED IN 1886
PRICE FIVE CENTS
Trv
LINCOLN. NBBR., SATURDAY. JUNE 1G 1900.
THE COURIER,
Official Organ of the Nebraska State
Federation of Women's dub.
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SECOND CLASS MATTEL
PUBLISHED EVERY SATOBOAY
BT
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8ARAH B. HARRIS.
Editor
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OBSERVATIONS
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The Federation Color Line.
The first hieeting of the federation
of Women's clubs was one of prepara
tion and organization. The second
one was an opportunity for congratu
lation on the rapid growth and ef
fectiveness of the club movement and
of the federal demonstration of it.
Discussion of ways and means to meet
the expenses of the federation and the
basis of taxation occupied the
thoughts of the delegates to the
third and fourth biennial meetings.
In state conventions and in ihose
city women's clubs, whose member
ship qualifications are necessarily
catholic, the question of the admis
sion of colored women has frequently
arisen, only to be tabled, ignored or
shirked. In Chicago, the question
has been discussed at various times
quite violently, but not unequivocally
and definitely settled.
It harks back to the old dispute
which neither the emancipation proc
lamation, the fifteenth amend
ment nor the Civil Rights' bill has
settled.
This is the situation. The blacks
were enslaved. They were forcibly
enfranchised by the federal govern
ment in spite or the opposition of
their owners who gave the best blood
of the south and accepted poverty to
prevent it. Hut the south was de
feated and there are no more loyal
hearts in the country than those on
the other side of Mason and Dixon's
line. Men and women of the south
are just as proud of the flag now a
we arc and just as jealous of Ameri
can supremacy.
During the civil war, President
Abraham Lincoln never lost sight of
the casus helium which was the pres
ervation of the union, without slave
ry, if possible.
The economic and political value of
the federation of womens' vclubs to
the United States is not in the
speeches that are made once in two
years to four or five thousand women,
delegates and visitors, but in the
meeting together and surprised rec
ognition of homogeneity of five or six
thousand women from Georgia, Ala
bama, Mississippi, Maine, Vermont,
Massachusetts. Illinois, Michigan, Ne
braska, California, Oregon, Washing
ton, and all the intermediate and
adjacent states. Acquaintance, sym
pathy, and knowledge are encouraged
and fostered by these national meet
ings. And the union is in this case
also worth sacrificing other things
for. The Federation is a union of
white women's clubs. White women
founded it and have carried it on.
If a fair-sized minority of the present
members of the organization object
to the admission of colored women,
then the women of the north, the
west and even of the east should re
spect their prejudices and trust to
time and the evolution of a race to
dispel them. The union is worth
sacrificing even our enlightened prin
ciples for. With the southern mem
bers it is a matter of heredity, or ex
perience in which we are utterly lacu
ing, and or a brabminical rigidity or
caste which only the Massachusetts
and Philadelphia women have local
examples or.
Singularly enough the Massachu
setts women are the most intolerant
of caste. This is not historically sin
gular, because the Massachusetts
abolitionists would have been willing
to see every other state secede leaving
Massachusetts alone before they
would yield to a compromise. But the
Massachusetts delegates are compara
tively incons:stent because they do
not recognize the fixity or caste prej
udice, and its controlling influence.
The Boston delegates rrom a town
where certain families have had the
right of way for centuries were sur
prised and indignant because the
southern women objected to otlicially
extend the hand of fellowship to a
colored woman. To any one who has
breathed the impalpably, frozen im
mitigable social atmosphere of Bos
ton the grieved remonstrances from
the Boston delegates are puzzling.
It is evident they thought the south
ern women unamerican and insensi
ble of the mission of every club wo
man which as Mrs. Lowe said in her
farewell speech is to "Leave a message
of sympathy for all who have wrought
with sorrow-laden hearts, a message
or gratitude to those who have been
burden-bearers ror the workers, and
to all yoke fellows, everywhere con
gratulations for what has been ac
complished, and a greeting of g(od
cheer lor to day and a prophesy of
good hopj ror to morrow." From what
I know of southern women these fare
well expressions are genuine. The
southern women are truly sympa
thetic, hospitable and charitable.
Their company and co-operation is
worth more to us than any reasser
tion of the doctrine or human rights
and equality. Massachusetts Is giv
en to striking heroic attitudes and
proclaiming herself as a protector of
the weak and champion of the down
trodden. Asa state she enjoys the
consciousness of virtue, culture and
tolerance up to her neck.
At tne Denver biennial Massachu
setts threatened to withdraw from
the General Federation ir the ten cent
per capita tax bill passed. Not that
the club women or Massachusetts be
grudged the Federation ten cents a
piece, but they thought the money
would better be spent In Boston.
When the rule was adopted the
threat was not reiterated. Arraid of
nobody, modestly convinced that up
on Ma-sachusetts club women rests
the social liberation or the colored
race, and raised in an atmosphere or
frigid principles, they were intoler
ant at Denver and intolerant at Mil
waukee. They truly need the in
fluence or the Federation more than
the black sisters they conspicuously
and arbitrarily attempted to intro
duce into the Federation.
Nevertheless ir women's clubs up
lift, educate, regenerate, encourage
and convert, our colored sisters ought
to be admitted. But until the south
ern women themselves invite them the
north has no business to coerce them
to an obnoxious fellowship. Until it
is quite ready 1 think the south can
count upon the Pacific slope, the west
and the middle west to vote with
her.
The Coup of 1900.
Mr. Hall's reading or the affidavits
proving Mr. Thompson's late offer to
the populists to become a populist ir
they would elect him to the United
States senate, enraged the followers
of Mr. Thompson is Lincoln who hold
him and his offices dearer than re
publicanism or any. principles what
ever. Messrs. Bud Lindsey, Elmer
Stevenson, Capt Bjllingsley, Courtney,
Tom Benton and Robert Dorgan are
the closest political friends and sup
porters, or Mr. Thompson in Lincoln.
By shouting and filibustering last
Saturday night they were able to pre
vent the reading or all but one or the
affidavits prepared by Mr. Frank Hall.
They have been printed since in
several papers, so that they are now
berore the state.
Although the evidences or treason
to the party had no effect upon Mr.
Thompson's hangers-on in Lincoln,
who knew beforehand that he had
offered to deliver the republican
party as the price or his own election,
there is little doubt that it will ef
fect the body of voters in the state
when the days of the state election
are at hand.
It is all a matter of comparison.
What seems a justifiable expedient
to Messrs. Lindsey, Stevenson, Bill
ingsley, Courtney and Tom Benton
is a crime to the sturdy, loyal repub
licans; men of finer grain, of worthier
-traditions of unpurchasablc loyalty.
In the opposition.
It Is quite likely that the repub
lican party in Nebraska will be beat
en at the polls this year. But it is
better to be beaten than to win un
der the leadership of Bud Lindsey,
and his friends aforementioned.
It has been occasionally demon
strated in the legislature that the
intlucnce of the local machine on
state politics has been overestimated.
The noise of the machine Is so near
us here in Lincolu, that honest peo
ple are sometimes rrightened by the
racket, but the state is one oX the
largest in the union, its inhabitants
are statistically literate, and demon
strably keen-witted. They have-never
yet elected a legislature which in its
turn sent a rogue to the senate and
all the chances are in favor of their
never doing it. Read the country
papers, note the integrity of the edi
torials. It is a good tonic for the
heresy of doubt or a people's wisdom
arid purity.
Nebraska is a large state. The cap
itol and Omaha are very important
places. But the state contains Ttf.&w
square miles with a village every ten
miles. A candidate who has earned
the disapproval or the most promi
nent and reputable citizens or Lin
coln is not likely to suit the no less
fastidious tastes or the mighty men
who own the rest or the 7,S.V square
miles called Nebraska.
The contract sworn to in affidavits
as a facsimile by fourteen members
or the legislature is herewith re
printed: I, I). E. Thompson, pledge the fu
sion members of the Nebraska legis
lature my solemn word of honor that
if by their votes I am elected to the
United States senate I will do as fol
lows: First I will oppose the policy or
imperialism and entangling alliances
with any nation.
SecondI will oppose any increase
in the regular army.
Third I will oppose the retirement
or the greenbacks and, the issuing or
currency by banks and will favor an
increased use of silver as money. '
Fourth I will oppose government
by injunction and favor an income
tax.
Firth ir elected I will remain out
of republican caucuses.
(Signed) I). E. THOMPSON.
The Mockett Veil.
Workmen are now laying fourteen
inch pipe to the Mockett well in or
der that the remarkably pure, deli
cious water may flow through a larger
conduit into the city.
It will be remembered that Mr. I).
